Should psychotherapists limit their clinical work with trauma survivors to avoid being traumatized themselves? Vicarious traumatization (VT)—the symptoms similar to posttraumatic stress disorder and the disruption in cognitive schemas reported in clinicians who are exposed to the trauma material of their clients—was assessed in a national survey of 1,000 women psychotherapists. Therapists with higher levels of exposure to sexual abuse material reported significantly more trauma symptoms but no significant disruption of cognitive schemas. Spiritual well-being, a key area thought to be damaged by VT, was found to be higher for those clinicians who saw more sexual abuse survivors.

This study empirically tested the relationship of God image to level of object relations development in a Christian sample. Ninety-two undergraduate students from a religiously homogeneous population were tested with three measures of God image and three measures of object relations development. It was hypothesized that level of object relations development would show a significant positive correlation with images of God as loving and benevolent and a significant negative correlation with images of God as wrathful, controlling, and irrelevant. Scores on each of the God image instruments were correlated with scores on each of the measures of object relations development. The objective measure of object relations, the Ego Function Assessment Questionnaire-Revised (EFAQ-R), correlated significantly with all three measures of God image in the directions hypothesized. The two projective measures of object relations, the Rorschach and the Comprehensive Object Relations Profile (CORP), showed only a few significant correlations with God image scales. The strongest finding of this study was the consistent, positive correlation of multiple measures of loving God images with level of object relations development on the EFAQ-R.

This study examined the effectiveness of a religiously-based, object relations oriented psychotherapy treatment program. Effectiveness was measured by changes in personal adjustment and God image for a group of religious patients. An inpatient sample (N = 99), with the predominant diagnosis of major depression, was followed over the course of inpatient treatment and a year of outpatient treatment following hospitalization. Measures were administered at admission and discharge (N = 99), six months after discharge (n = 67), and 12 months after discharge (n = 30). The correlation of God image to object relations development was also examined. Inpatient treatment was found to have a significant positive impact on personal adjustment and God image. Improvement was maintained over the course of outpatient treatment but no significant further improvement was noted. Significant correlations were found among the measures at all four time points. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

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Due to recent changes within the field of psychology, namely, the inclusion of religion as a human difference within the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, as well as the inclusion of “Religious or Spiritual Problem” as a V-code in the DSM-IV, the understanding and effective treatment of people of faith has been elevated as a clinical issue. Measures of religious dimensions and spirituality can be very helpful in working with religious clients. Numerous instruments measuring a variety of religious dimensions are available for research and clinical use. The authors offer a review of selected instruments which have been developed to measure a variety of religious variables, and to be used particularly with Christian clients. The instruments are evaluated for both psychometric soundness and clinical utility. Strengths and weaknesses are noted and suggestions for future research are provided.